What’s the Best Way to Decorate my Winter Apparel?

“What’s the best way to decorate my winter apparel? I don’t want the logo to wear off.”

That’s a question we get asked frequently for all of the promotional items at Motivators.com, but especially for apparel. Imprinting on an item can be done in many methods like pad printing, screen printing, debossing and hot stamping to name a few. But the method of decoration is dictated by the product.

Pens are generally pad printed due to the size of the imprint area, while products like leather padfolios may be debossed because we can use the soft leather material to leave an impression of the logo. Winter apparel has two common methods of decorating: screenprinting and embroidering.

When our clients are looking for a good-looking winter apparel item, they want the decoration to be as durable as possible. If you’re asking yourself “What’s the best way to decorate my winter apparel?” keep in mind that certain products, like jackets and coats, have an exterior that may not accept screenprinting. Plus, these products generally take a lot of abuse. Embroidery is the most common decoration method for this application.

Polo shirts, collar shirts or any business attire will have the imprint embroidered – it’s a neater and classier decoration. Hats are embroidered as well, whether it is the winter knit cap (because of the material we are decorating on) or a baseball hat that demands the imprint have a strong presence. Embroidered logos will be “bulkier” than screenprinted designs because it is stitched into the material, usually on a pocket. The logo is stitched into the item and it becomes part of it, never having an opportunity to wash or wear off. Here’s what embroidery looks like on a knit cap:

T-shirts or workout apparel are usually screenprinted, where the imprint is applied to the surface of the material and leaves a smooth imprint. This works well on t-shirts with a lighter weight material.

Choosing an imprint method can be a vulnerable step in placing a successful order. To learn more about decorating your promotional products, read our guide: Decorating Types Explained. If your item has more than one imprint option, we are here to help guide you to the final product that will represent your brand the best!